WHOLESALE  CORRUPTION 


SALE  OF  SITUATIONS 


IN  — 


FOURTH  WARD  SCHOOLS, 


REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE 


APPOINTED  BY  THE 


BOARD    OF  EDUCATION 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  CITIZENS'  ASSOCIATION  OF  NEW-YORK. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/wholesalecorruptOOdurs 


SALE  OF  SITUATIONS 

I  N 

FOURTH  WARD  SCHOOLS. 

THE  EVIDENCE  1AT  THE  CASE. 

Ix  the  course  of  an  extended  inquiry  respecting  the  Ward 
Schools  of  this  City,  The  Citizexs'  Associatiox  was  painfully 
impressed,  by  frequent  intimations,  that  gross  corruption  ex- 
isted among  School  Officers.  We  are  not,  therefore,  taken 
by  surprise  by  the  revelations  in  the  Fourth  Ward.  We 
spread  the  official  proceedings  of  the  Board  of  Education  be- 
fore the  people,  because  the  Schools  are  peculiarly  their  prop- 
erty. "  The  Public  Schools  are  the  most  important  institu- 
tions in  the  country.  He  who  tampers  with  and  corrupts 
them,  aims  a  most  cruel  blow  at  the  liberties  and  the  prosper- 
ity of  the  nation  throughout  all  future  generations.  These 
Schools  may  be  justly  regarded  as  the  great  fountain  of  our 
future  fortunes,  and  to  the  careful  education  of  the  rising  gen- 
eration we  must  look  for  the  security  of  liberty  itself.  In  them 
are  deposited  our  best  hopes,  and  upon  their  good  or  bad  man- 
agement will  depend,  to  a  great  degree,  the  character  of  com- 
ing generations." 

The  heartless  cruelty  with  which  these  School  Officers  pur- 
sued their  scheme  of  levying  on  Teachers  and  candidates  for 
positions  in  the  Schools,  is  seen  in  the  case  of  the  young  lady 
who  had  just  buried  her  father,  and  having  the  care  of  a 
widowed  mother  left  on  her  hands.  She  greatly  needed  em- 
ployment as  a  teacher;  but  was  told  she  must  pay  for  it,  or 
retire.  But  the  expenses  of  a  father's  funeral  had  probably 
exhausted  her  little  savings,  and  she  could  not  raise  the  sum 
.  demanded.  Then  she  could  pay  in  instalments  from  her  fu- 
ture earnings ! ! 


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As  Commissioner  Miller  truly  remarked,  a  perfect  reign  of 
terror  was  installed  in  the  Fourth  Ward,  and  the  scenes,  in 
some  cases,  were  harrowing.  The  struggle  between  fear  and 
duty  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  teachers,  excited  the  sympathy 
of  every  manly  heart.  One  poor  little  girl  came  on  the  stand 
on  crutches.  That  lame  girl  had  been  taxed  $75  for  a  paltry 
situation  of  §300  a  year !  Was  there  ever  a  more  infamous  im- 
position on  the  unfortunate  and  afflicted!  Did  ever  weak  and 
defenceless  women  Fall  into  the  power  of  such  heartless  shar- 
pers !  And  the  chief  agent  of  the  "  ring,"  in  enforcing  these 
impositions,  was  himself  a  teacher, — the  Principal  of  the  Boys' 
Grammar  School. 

This  thing  is  not  limited  to  a  single  Ward.  "  I  believe," 
said  one  of  these  shameless  witnesses,  Mr.  Jeremiah  Mur- 
phy, Chairman  of  this  Local  Board,  in  relating,  in  the  course 
of  his  examination,  a  conversation  between  himself  and  an- 
other as  to  the  payment  of  money — "  I  believe  it  is  a  com- 
mon thing  throughout  the  city.  I  have  heard,"  he  said  fur- 
ther, "rumors  throughout  the  Ward,  and  outside  of  the  Ward, 
about  everybody  being  taxed."  What  truth  is  there  in  these 
rumors  ?  How  common  is  it  throughout  the  city  to  sell  the 
positions  of  teachers  in  the  Public  Schools  to  those  who  will 
pay  the  most  money  for  them  ?  Would  it  not  be  well  to  know  ? 
as  one  of  our  journals  well  inquires.  Is  it  not  time  to  uncover 
the  abuses  which  this  exposure  proves  it  is  possible  may  exist 
in  other  localities,  and  look  into  the  character  of  men  to  whom 
is  intrusted  the  power  to  commit  them  ? 

Fellow-citizens,  will  you  commit  such  a  sacred  trust  as  our 
Public  Schools  to  ignorant,  bad  men  ?  Can  you  wonder  that 
the  keepers  of  low  grog-shops  take  advantage  of  their  positions 
to  sell  the  offices  under  their  control  ?  This  whole  subject  of 
Common  Schools  must  be  kept  out  of  the  arena  of  politics,  and 
none  but  good  and  well-tried  men  of  honor  and  high  character 
chosen  as  School  Officers.  The  Board  of  Education  has  ex- 
pelled 8  out  of  10  of  the  Local  Board  of  the  Fourth  Ward, 
which  is  well.  But  the  people  must  see  to  it  that  every 
Ward  is  purified,  and  kept  pure,  for  the  sake  of  our  children 
and  the  privileges  and  blessings  of  education.  We  beg  our 
fellow-citizens  to  weigh  this  subject  thoughtfully,  and  act  in 
relation  to  it  for  the  best  interests  of  their  children  and  the  ' 


3 


rising  generation  of  this  great  city.  It  is  evident  that  there 
can  be  little  hope  for  the  future  of  any  community  which  can 
quietly  tolerate  such  shocking  abuses  as  the  following  report 
exposes  : 

BOARD  OF  EDUCATION. 

Hall  of  Board  of  Education,  \ 
Thursday,  June  9th,  18G4,  5  o'clock,  P.  M.  j 

ADJOURNED  SESSION. 

Present — James  M.  McLean,  Esq.,  President  and  Commis- 
sioners Maher,  Ho  ran,  Patten,  Heath,  Murphy,  O'Donuell, 
Dupignac,  Tuthill,  Brennan,  Carey,  Small,  Montgomery, 
Adams,  Farr,  Bogert,  Welch,  Kasmire,  O'Connor,  Perley, 
Jackson,  Boice,  Koster,  Hayes,  West,  Murray,  Smith,  Vance, 
Miller,  Hayward,  Hitchman,  McSpcdon,  Connelly,  Ilastie, 
Smyth,  Fairchild— 3G. 

Absent — Commissioners  Jennett,  Huggins,  Kinne}',  Brown, 
Roosevelt,  McLaughlin,  Neilson,  Lieber — S. 
On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Farr, 

The  reading  of  the  Journal  of  the  last  session  was  dis- 
pensed with. 

REPORT  OF  A  SPECIAL  COMMITTEE. 

To  the  Board  of  Education  : 

Mr.  Miller  presented  the' following  report  from  the  Special 
Committee  appointed  to  investigate  certain  charges  against 
several  Trustees  of  the  Fourth  Ward  : 

The  Special  Committee,  to  whom  was  referred  the  following 
preamble  and  resolution,  adopted  at  a  stated  session  of  the 
Board,  May  18,  1861 : 

Whereas,  Complaints  having  been  made  to  the  Officers  of 
the  Board  of  Education  and  to  Commissioners,  that  improper 
means  have  been  resorted  to  on  the  part  of  some  of  the 
Trustees  of  the  Fourth  Ward,  or  persons  acting  as  their 
agents,  to  obtain  money  from  teachers  and  others  in  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  said  Ward ;  therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  a  Special  Committee  be  appointed  to  ex- 


e 


amine  into  the  facts  and  circumstances  of  the  case,  and  that 
they  report  their  conclusions  to  this  Board — said  Committee 
to  consist  of  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  By-laws,  Fi- 
nance, Course  of  Studies  and  Schooh  Books,  Elections  and 
Qualifications,  and  Supplies,  respectively — 

RESPECTFULLY  REPORT  : 

They  have  immediately  organized  and  elected  Commissioner 
James  L.  Miller  Chairman,  and  authorized  said  Chairman  to 
summon  all  persons  to  appear  before  the  Committee  whose 
testimony  was  required  to  make  a  thorough  investigation  of 
the  complaint  referred  to  in  the  preamble  and  resolution  afore- 
said. The  Clerk  was  also  directed  to  notify  all  the  School 
Officers  of  the  Fourth  Ward  of  the  times  at  which  such  inves- 
tigation would  be  conducted. 

The  Committee  held  its  first  meeting  on  the  20th  day  of 
May,  and  held  several  meetings  thereafter.  Every  member 
of  the  Committee  was  present,  and  they  were  attended  by  the 
School  Officers  of  the  Fourth  Ward,  a  majority  of  whom,  and 
Mr.  John  White,  Principal  of  Ward  School  No.  26,  were  rep- 
resented by  Counsel. 

The  Committee  thereupon  designated  Mr.  Thomas  Boese, 
Clerk  of  the  Board,  to  conduct  the  examination.  Thirty-four 
witnesses  were  examined  under  oath,  their  testimony  was  care- 
fully taken  down  b}T  a  stenographic  reporter,  and  is  hereto  an- 
nexed, and  forms  part  of  this  report. 

Your  Committee,  when  they  entered  on  the  discharge  of 
their  onerous  duties,  did  not  place  much  dependence  on  the 
prevalent  rumors  of  gross  dereliction  of  duty  on  the  part  of 
most  of  the  School  Officers  of  the  Fourth  Ward,  and  were 
confident  that  the  investigation  would  prove  them  untrue  or 
grossly  exaggerated.  But  the  Committee  were  grievously  dis- 
appointed. The  testimony  shows  that  early  in  the  present 
year  a  perfect  system  was  inaugurated  by  a  majority  of  the 
Trustees  of  the  Ward  to  extort  money  from  School  Teachers 
and  others  in  their  employ.  It  appears  that  Jeremiah  Murphy, 
Daniel  Healy,  Jeremiah  Coughlin,  James  White,  John  J.  Les- 
ter, Trustees,  and  Felix  Murphy,  School  Commissioner,  con- 
stituting a  majority  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  formed  them- 


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selves  into  a  "King,"  to  manage  the  School  affairs  of  the 
Ward.    They  elected  Jeremiah  Murphy,  Chairman;  Jeremiah 
Coughlin,  Secretary;  and  appointed  John  White,  Principal 
j>f  Grammar  School  No.  26,  as  Clerk.    It  appears  that  a  new 
School-house  is  in  course  of  erection  in  Vandewater  Street,  in 
said  Ward,  to  take  the  place  of  Grammar  Schools  Nos.  1  and 
26,  which  will  necessitate  the  discharge  of  some  teachers  or 
place  them  in. a  lower  position.    The  teachers  all  wanted  to 
be  appointed  to  the  new  School,  and,  as  all  could  not  be,  the 
"Ring  seems  to  have  been  formed  for  the  purpose  of  giving 
the  positions  sought  for  to  the  highest  bidders.    Their  Clerk 
was  selected  as  their  agent,"  to  whom  teachers  were  expected 
to  apply,  to  ascertain  upon  what  terms  they  could  get  an 
appointment.    The  evidence  shows  that  the  agent  performed 
his  duty  with  alacrity  and  with  a  heartlessness  worthy  of  the 
employers.    It  appears  that  he  not  only  summoned  the  teach- 
ers to  come  to  him,  but  that  he  called  on  their  parents  and 
friends  as  to  the  amount  they  should  pay  for  their  appoint- 
ments— the — sums  varying  from  $50  to  §600,  according  to 
the  position  sought.    When  it  was  stated  that  the  amount 
could  not  be  paid  at  once,  on  account  of  the  poverty  of  the 
teacher,  the  "  agent"  agreed  to  take  it  in  installments.  When 
they  declined  to  pay,  information  was  given  that  no  teachers 
would  be  appointed  unless  they  paid  for  it,  and  when  asked 
by  a  teacher  who  hesitated  to  pay  the  amount  fixed  by  the 
"agent,"  if  he  had  any  objection  to  his  (the  teacher)  going 
to  the  Trustees,  he  stated  that  he  had  none,  and  that  the  teach- 
er did  see  the  Trustees,  and  came  back  to  the  "agent"  and 
paid  a  portion  of  the  amount  fixed.    It  appears  from  the  tes- 
timony that  the  "  agent"  was  perfectly  familiar  with  the  amount 
of  "  School  Tax"  to  be  levied  by  the  "Ring,"  whether  it  was 
on  a  male  teacher  or  female  teacher,  Principal  or  subordin- 
ate.   His  knowledge  and  power  in  the  premises  appear  to  have 
been  complete  and  final.    It  also  appears  in  the  testimony 
that  teachers,  both  male  and  female,  went  to  see  members  of 
the  "Ring;  "  that  the  "Ring"  entertained  "propositions" 
from  them,  in  some  instances  recommended  the  payment  of 
the  amount  demanded  by  their  "  agent,"  and,  in  others,  desig- 
nated an  associate  Trustee,  who  had  the  "say"  on  the  subject, 
with  an  admonition  to  pay  the  amount  he  might  name  ;  on  aft 


application  made  to  one  of  the  "Ring,"  he,  after  listening  to 
the  pleading,  and  witnessing  the  tears  of  a  female  teacher,  cha- 
ritably stated  that  he  would  return  her  his  share  of  the  "  Tax." 
While  the  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  was  willing  to 
go  for  what  his  associates  of  the  1  Ring'  agreed  to,"  for  ap- 
pointing a  favorite  of  his  to  a  high  position,  when  charged  with 
appointing  teachers  for  money,  he  excused  it  by  saying  "  that 
it  had  been  done  before."  It  appears  that  the  teachers  through- 
out the  Ward,  and  a  great  number  of  the  citizens,  were 
aware  of  the  fact  that  positions  had  to  be  paid  for,  and  that 
this  u  Ring"  was  to  receive  the  money  through  their  "agent," 
That  the  School  Officers  of  the  Ward  in  no  way  endeavored 
to  remove  the  impression,  on  the  part  of  teachers  and  citizens, 
of  improper  conduct  on  their  part,  or  to  have  the  subject  in- 
vestigated, with  the  single  exception  of  School  Commissioner 
Arthur  O'Donnell,  against  whom  the  bitterest  feeling  is  exhi- 
bited by  the  "Ring."  It  also  appears  that  William  P.  Kirk 
and  Charles  Kelly,  two  Trustees  of  the  Ward,  did  accept 
money  from  School  teachers  for  appointments — that  Thomas 
Gibbons,  Bernard  Ryan,  John  Halpin,  and  John  II.  Knaebel, 
teachers  in  said  Ward,  have  given  money  to  the  Trustees,  or 
their  "agent,"  for  their  appointments  as  teachers,  and  in 
other  respects  acted  in  a  manner  discreditable  to  them  as 
teachers,  so  much  so  as  to  render  them  unfit  to  occupy  their 
positions.  [ 

The  testimony  is  very  voluminous,  exceeding  300  folios, 
and  was  given  with  few  exceptions  by  very  unwilling  wit- 
nesses. The  Committee,  in  coming  to  a  decision,  were  satis- 
fied that  some  of  the  witnesses  prevaricated  greatly,  and  in 
more  than  one  instance  testified  falsely. 

The  Committee,  in  conclusion,  are  constrained  to  say  that 
the  Trustees  of  the  Fourth  Ward,  with  the  exception  of  Com- 
missioner Arthur  O'Donnell  and  Trustee  F.  Joseph  Klein, 
have  acted  in  a  manner  that  brings  lasting  injury  and  disgrace 
on  our  School  system  and  our  City,  and  particularly  on  tho 
citizens  of  the  Fourth  Ward,  whose  children  are  suffering 
through  the  gross  mismanagement  of  those  corrupt  public 
servants,  who  have  violated  their  oath  of  office  and  the  com- 
mon feelings  of  humanity.  Slight  atonement  may  be  made 
for  the  injury  done  by  these  bad  men,  to  the  educational  and 


9 


moral  welfare  of  the  children  of  our  City,  by  this  Board  re- 
moving them  forthwith  from  their  positions  and  the  District 
Attorney  of  our  City  speedily  bringing  the  matter  before  the 
Grand  Jury  for  their  action. 

The  Committee,  in  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  the 
resolutions  submitted  to  them,  and  after  a  careful  examina- 
tion of  the  testimony,  have  unanimously  come  to  the  follow- 
ing conclusions,  and  report  them,  together  with  the  testimony 
taken,  to  the  Board  for  its  action  : 

First  That  Jeremiah  Murphy,  James  White,  Jeremiah 
Coughlin,  Daniel  Healy,  John  H.  Lester,  Charles  Kelly,  and 
William  P.  Kirk,  Trustees  of  Common  Schools  in  the  Fourth 
Ward,  and  Felix  Murphy,  Commissioner  of  Common  Schools 
from  said  Ward,  have  been  guilty  of  disgraceful  conduct  in  the 
matters  connected  with  their  official  duties  as  School  Officers. 

Second.  That  John  White,  Thomas  Gibbons,  Bernard  C. 
Ryan,  John  II.  Knaebel  and  John  Hatpin  have  acted  in  a 
manner  disreputable  and  discreditable  to  themselves  as  teach- 
ers, and  to  the  cause  of  public  education. 

The  Committee,  therefore,  recommend  the  following  resolu- 
tions to  the  Board  for  adoption  : 

Resolved,  That  Jeremiah  Murphy,  Daniel  Healy,  John  H. 
Lester,  William  P.  Kirk,  James  White,  Jeremiah  Coughlin, 
and  Charles  Kelly,  School  Trustees  in  the  Fourth  Ward,  and 
Felix  Murphy.  School  Commissioner  and  ex  officio  Trustee  in 
said  Ward,  all  and  each  of  them,  be  and  they  hereby  are  re- 
moved from  the  office  of  School  Officers  in  and  for  the  said 
Fourth  Ward,  for  disgraceful  conduct  in  matters  connected 
with  their  official  duties,  and  that  the  Clerk  be  and  he  hereby 
is  directed  to  strike  the  name  of  said  Felix  Murphy  from  the 
roll  of  members  of  this  Board. 

Resolved,  That  John  White,  Principal  of  Ward  School  JSTo. 
26,  in  the  Fourth  Ward,  Thomas  Gibbons,  Bernard  C.  Ryan, 
and  John  H.  Knaebel,  Assistant  Teachers  in  said  School,  and 
John  Halpin,  Assistant  Teacher  in  Ward  School  Iso.  1,  in  said 
Ward,  having  acted  disreputably  and  discreditably  to  them- 
selves as  teachers,  forfeit  their  right  to  teach  in  the  schools, 
and  that  the  President  and  Clerk  be,  and  they  hereby  are,  di- 


10 


rectcd  to  sign  no  warrant  for  services  hereafter  rendered  by 
any  of  the  aforesaid  teachers  in  the  schools  under  the  control 
of  tliis  Board  ;  and  that  the  evidence,  so  far  as  relates  to  the 
conduct  of  teachers  in  the  Fourth  Ward,  be  transmitted  to 
the  City  Superintendent  of  Schools  for  his  action. 

Resolved,  That  the  Clerk  of  this  Board  be,  and  he  hereby  is, 
directed  to  transmit  a  certified  copy  of  this  report  to  the  Dis- 
trict Attorney  of  this  City,  and  that  he  be  requested  to  submit 
the  same  to  the  Grand  Jury  for  their  action. 

JAMES  L.  MILLER, 
SAMUEL  B.  II.  VANCE, 
JAMES  B.  DUPIGNAC, 
0.  P.  SMITH, 
TIMOTHY  BRENNAN, 
FREDERICK  SMYTH, 
HENRY  P.  WEST, 
Special  Committee  on  Investigation  of  Four  tit  Ward  Matters. 

The  President  put  the  question  whether  the  Board  would 
a«ree  with  said  resolutions,  and  it  was  decided  in  the  affirma- 
tive,  as  follows  : 

Ayes — Messrs.  Maher,  Horau,  Patten,  Heath,  O'Donnell, 
Dupignac,  TuthBl,  Brennan,  Small,  Montgomery,  Adams, 
Farr,  Bogert,  Welch,  Kasmire,  O'Connor,  Perley,  Jackson, 
Boice,  Koster,  Hayes,  West,  Murray,  Smith,  Yance,  Miller, 
Hayward,  Hitchman,  McSpedon,  Connolly,  Hastie,  McLean, 
Smyth,  Fairchild— 34. 

On  motion,  adjourned. 

THOS.  BOESE,  Clerk. 


11 


DEBATES  IN  THE  BOARD  OF  EDUCATION. 

THE  FOURTH  WARD  INVESTIGATION. 

On  the  report  of  the  Special  Committee  to  investigate 
charges  against  School  Officers  and  Teachers  in  the  Fourth 
Ward, 

Commissioner  Murphy.  I  would  ask  this  Committee, 
whether  there  is  any  evidence  directly  or  indirectly  implicat- 
ing me  in  any  manner  as  applying  and  asking  for  money  from 
teachers  ?  Or  is  it  merely  a  supposition  that  because  I  am 
connected  with  a  majority  of  the  members  of  the  Local  Board, 
my  name  is  to  be  handed  down  to  infamy  ?  Is  it  for  my  con- 
nection with  the  Trustees  and  Inspectors  of  the  Board  that  I 
am  to  be  stigmatized  and  branded  as  a  thief?  Where  is  there 
any  direct  testimony  from  any  of  the  teachers  ?  The  Com- 
mittee never  asked  me  to  appear,  or  when  I  appeared  before 
them,  to  give  any  statement  as  to  facts.  I  was  prepared  to 
prove  that  I  had  gone  to  the  Principals  of  the  Schools  in  that 
Ward  myself,  and  asked  a  copy  of  the  attendance,  the  promo- 
tions made  by  the  different  teachers,  and  the  grades  that  their 
classes  stood  on  the  examination,  so  as  to  be  governed  by  their 
reports  as  to  the  appointments  of  teachers  to  the  new  school. 
This  I  can  prove  by  the  Principals  to  the  departments,  and 
nothing,  as  far  as  money  is  concerned,  governed  my  actions. 
It  is  something  I  think  I  am  above ;  my  character  will  prove 
it.  I  defy  the  finger  of  scorn  to  be  pointed  at  me  by  any  one 
in  that  Ward,  and  I  want  to  say  that  I  shall  hold  every  indi- 
vidual of  this  Committee  personally  responsible  for  my  char- 
acter in  this  case. 

Commissioner  Smyth.  As  a  member  of  that  Committee,  I 
have  not  the  least  objection  to  be  held  personally  responsible 
-^responsible  in  every  way,    Acting  as  a  member  of  this 


12 


Committee,  and  of  this  Board,  I  acted  under  oath ;  and  I  am 
perfectly  willing,  a3  every  other  member  of  the  Committee  is, 
to  assume  the  responsibility,  and  submit  the  action  of  that 
Committee  to  the  investigation  and  scrutiny  of  the  public,  or 
any  other  Court  or  other  tribunal  that  the  gentlemen  may  se- 
lect. This  gentleman  asks,  where  the  evidence  is  to  connect 
him  with  this  transaction  ?  As  a  member  of  that  Committee, 
before  pointing  to  this  evidence,  I  will  state  that  the  gentle- 
man was  a  friend  of  mine  ;  he  wa3  my  associate  in  this  Board. 
I  never  heard  anything  against  his  character,  and  never  sup- 
posed that  there  was  anything  against  it  until  I  heard  the 
sworn  testimony  dragged  from  unwilling  witnesses  before  this 
Committee,  and  which  exhibited  a  sight  that  ought  to  shock 
the  entire  public.  ISTow,  sir,  every  member  of  this  Board 
must  have  noticed  the  language  used  in  thi3  report.  The  word 
"ring"  is  used  there.  That  word  did  not  originate  with  the 
Committee,  or  with  any  member  of  the  Committee;  it  origi- 
nated with  every  witness  who  was  examined  before  that  Com- 
mittee. The  word  ring  wa3  used  by  them.  A  ring  was  formed. 
The  gentleman,  according  to  all  the  testimony  in  the  case,  was 
one  of  that  ring.  Mr.  "White  was  their  agent.  The  moment 
that  ring  was  formed,  it  went  into  operation,  and  commenced 
the  nefarious  business  of  black-mailing  women.  That  is  the 
evidence.  That  "ring,"  according  to  the  testimony  of  one  of 
the  male  teachers,  sent  their  agent  to  him,  and  demanded  a 
sum  of  money — $200.  That  sum  of  money  he  refused  to  pay 
until  he  found  out  the  authority  of  this  agent  to  demand  it, 
and  receive  it.  lie  called  upon  that  ring  and  satisfied  him- 
self as  to  the  authority  of  their  agent.  The  next  night  a 
special  meeting  was  to  be  held  by  the  "ring" — called  by  them 
—with  this  very  gentleman's  name  signed  to  the  call,  and  §100 
was  paid  to  the  agent — if  not  in  the  presence  of  that  gentle- 
man, in  presence  of  the  remaining  portion  of  the  "ring,"  as 
they  were  about  entering  upon  the  discharge  of  that  duty 
which  they  had  sworn  to  discharge  faithfully.  On  that  very 
evening  this  Board  of  Local  Officers  were  called  together,  and 
that  call  is  upon  a  certified  copy  of  their  minutes.  I  call  the 
attention  of  this  Board  to  that  call,  to  see  by  whom  it  is  sign- 
ed. [Mr.  Smyth  read  the  call  signed  by  Felix  Murphy,  Daniel 
Healy,  and  James  White.]    When  that  call  was  served  upon 


13 


the  members  of  this  Board,  who  were  the  parties  that  appeared 
in  obedience  to  it  ?  Again,  I  refer  to  those  minutes,  and  now 
I  speak  from  the  evidence  before  this  Committee — "Present, 
Jeremiah  Murphy,  F.  Murphy,  the  gentleman,  Healy,  White, 
Coughlin,  and  Lester — 6."  And  who  do  they  appoint?  John 
White,  Principal.  J ohn  White  is  the  agent.  J ohn  White  is 
the  man  who  is  employed  by  this  "ring,"  and  who  goes 
from  house  to  house,  and  from  teacher  to  teacher,  from  woman 
to  woman,  and  from  father  to  mother,  and  makes  the  demands 
and  levies  and  receives  the  tax ;  and  we  got  by  positive  evi- 
dence, dragged  out  after  two  hours'  work,  that  $100  out  of 
$200  was  paid  by  one  of  the  very  men  who  was  appointed  at 
that  nefarious  meeting,  where  there  were  over  twenty  appoint- 
ments and  removals  made  inside  of  ten  minutes.  Does  the 
gentleman  want  any  more  evidence  to  convict  him  of  the 
crime  ?  Because  it  is  a  crime  !  He  violated  not  only  his  pub- 
lic duty,  but  his  oath  of  office  ;  and  I  say  here,  that  he  is  no 
longer  fit  to  be  a  member  of  this  Board. 

Commissioner  Murphy.  The  gentleman  states  on  his  oath, 
as  an  officer  taking  testimony  here,  that  this  gentleman  was 
appointed  that  night,  and  paid  $100.  IsTow,  the  gentleman 
whom  he  alludes  to  has  not  been  appointed.  We  made  but 
two  male  appointments — Mr.  White  and  Mr.  O'Donnell. 
You  stated  that  the  gentleman  paid  $100  out  of  $200  before 
he  got  his  appointment ;  you  stated  that  he  got  it  that  night. 

Commissioner  Smyth.  You  misunderstood  me.  Mr.  John 
White  is  the  man  whom  I  alluded  to. 

Commissioner  Murphy.  Well,  he  paid  no  $100.  As  re- 
gards the  origination  of  this  word  "ring,"  I  say  that  it  orig- 
inated (and  I  charge  it  directly) — it  originated  in  this  Board. 
There  was  a  communication  from  Mr.  Roosevelt  in  regard 
to  those  charges,  made  here,  and  a  Committee  was  appointed 
and  called  to  meet  on  the  Friday  following.  On  the  Thursday 
following,  certain  teachers  received  a  note  to  call  here,  and 
they  were  here,  prepared  as  to  what  testimony  they  should  give. 
They  came  up  here  all  prepared  to  expose  the  doings  of  this 
ring.  There  always  have  been  local  and  political  squabbles  in 
our  Wards,  where  a  majority  will  control.  One  man  looks 
to  the  interests  of  his  friends,  and  others  do  the  same ;  and, 


14 


gentlemen,  you  all  know  it.  I  associated  myself  with  the  ma- 
jority of  those  men  some  twelve  months  ago.  I  was  very  in- 
timate with  this  Mr.  White,  and  I  promised  him  to  do  all  in 
my  power  to  get  him  this  position  ;  and  I  stuck  to  my  word, 
and  voted  for  him.  JSo  other  interest  in  this  world  prompted 
me  to  vote  for  him.  Mr.  O'Donncll  was  consulted  as  regards 
those  appointments,  and  gave  his  sanction  to  them,  and  was 
to  conic  to  that  meeting  that  night  and  vote  for  them.  At 
least,  the  majority  of  the  Committee  so  stated  to  me.  He 
was  perfectly  satisfied  that  his  brother-in-law  should  be  Vice- 
Principal,  with  the  consideration  of  getting  Principal  in  the 
evening  school.  He  was  perfectly  satisfied.  lie  was  asked 
about  it  afterwards,  and  he  said  that  business  of  importance 
kept  him  away. 

Commissioner  MlLLER.  The  gentleman  states  that  no  op- 
portunity was  given  him  to  introduce  evidence.  As  Chairman 
of  the  Committee,  I  asked  on  several  occasions  whether  there 
was  any  School  Officer  present,  who  was  not  represented  by 
counsel,  who  wished  to  be  heard,  and  I  believe  but  one  re- 
sponded. Mr.  Murphy  was  in  the  room  every  evening  except 
one.  Xow,  as  to  holding  the  members  of  the  Committee  per- 
sonally responsible,  I  do  not  think  there  is  a  member  of  this 
Committee  but  who  feels  the  responsibility  resting  upon  him 
in  this  matter;  and  I  am  proud  to  say  that  I  never  was  as- 
sociated with  gentlemen  who  were  more  earnest  and  attentive 
in  the  discharge  of  their  duties,  and  who  weighed  testimony 
more  deliberately  and  calmly.  We  held  six  or  seven  meet- 
ings. On  every  occasion  every  member  was  present,  and  three 
or  four  of  our  meetings  were  between  three  and  four  hours 
long.  I  am  proud  to  say  the  Committee  did  not  differ  upon 
a  single  point;  they  did  not  differ  upon  anything;  and,  as  has 
been  stated  b}r  one  of  my  colleagues,  if  there  were  no  other 
evidence  against  Mr.  Felix  Murphy,  his  having  been  associated 
with  that  ring  was  sufficient.  The  very  fact  of  his  having  a 
knowledge  of  these  things  going  on  in  the  Fourth  Ward  for 
nearly  two  years  was  sufficient  to  convince  us  that  he  must  be 
guilty,  or  he  would  have  exposed  the  nefarious  transactions 
that  have  been  going  on.  Why,  a  perfect  reign  of  terror  has 
been  going  on  in  the  Fourth  Ward.    I  think  my  colleagues 


will  "bear  me  out  in  saying  that,  during  the  sittings  of  the 
Committee,  the  scenes  in  some  cases  were  harrowing.  The 
struggle  between  fear  and  duty  on  the  part  of  some  of  the 
teachers  excited  the  .sympathy  of  every  one  present,  except 
those  who  had  been  endeavoring  to  plunder  them  of  their 
hard  earnings.  One  poor  little  girl  came  upon  the  stand  on 
crutches.  That  lame  girl  was  taxed  $75  for  a  paltry  situation 
of  §300  a  year.  I  would  ask,  "What  could  be  more  infamous  ? 
The  man  who  divides  the  earnings  of  the  common  prostitute 
is  superior  to  the  man  who  would  take  black.mail  for  the 
position  of  a  teacher.  It  is  the  most  astounding  thing  that 
I  ever  heard  of.  I  was  in  hopes  that  there  would  be  nothing 
said  to-night — that  we  would  be  spared  the  getting  up  here  and 
announcing  these  things  in  public.  I  was  in  hopes  the  reading 
of  the  report  would  be  sufficient.  But  it  is  time  something  was 
done.  The  gentleman  tells  us  that  these  rings  are  formed 
through  the  city.  Then  it  is  time  a  beginning  was  made.  In 
my  Ward  we  allow  no  such  rings.  Every  member  of  the  Board 
receives  full  and  fair  consideration  in  everything  that  is  done. 
We  are  not  here  to  gratify  friends  in  appointments,  but  to  look 
after  the  cause  of  education  through  the  whole  city.  But  we 
are  told  by  the  gentleman  from  the  Fourth,  that  these  things 
are  organized  all  over  the  city,  and  that  every  one  has  his 
friends,  and  looks  after  their  interests.  ISTow,  I  have  yet  to 
learn,  after  having  been  asked  by  my  friend  from  the  Ninth 
whether  he  would  state,  under  oath,  that  there  was  nothing 
which  was  corrupt  about  it.  If  the  gentleman  desires  more 
evidence,  we  will  give  him  evidence  that  he  little  dreams  of. 
But  we  had  sufficient.  The  Committee  is  composed  of  men 
that  have  taken  an  interest  in  the  cause  of  education,  and  not 
one  of  them  differed  a  single  hair  as  to  the  duty  to  be  per- 
formed on  this  occasion.  They  all  agreed  that  the  testimony, 
which  is  very  voluminous,  was  sufficient  for  them  to  act  upon. 
They  have  acted ;  thev  have  submitted  the  report  to  you  ;  and 
I  hope,  for  the  cause  of  education,  that  that  report  will  be 
adopted  at  once,  in  order  that  we  may  have  no  longer  such 
men  occupying  the  positions  of  School  Officers  in  any  Ward  in 
the  City  of  New- York. 


16 


Commissioner  Murphy.  The  gentleman  states  that  there  is 
other  evidence,  hut  he  considers  this  enough.  I  would  respect- 
fully ask  that  m}T  case  he  referred  hack  to  this  Committee,  and 
that  they  produce  all  the  evidence  that  can  he  produced  against 
me.  I  ask  it,  and  I  want  it.  As  regards  frauds  on  contractors, 
there  may  he,  hut,  God  he  thanked,  it  cannot  he  charged 
against  me.  There  arc  frauds  now  going  on  under  the  eyes  of 
men  employed  hy  this  Board ;  I  ask  as  a  favor  that  it  he  sent 
hack,  and  all  the  evidence  produced  that  can  he  produced 
against  me. 

Commissioner  Smyth.  The  gentleman  commenced  with  a 
threat,  and  he  ends  with  a  supplication,  lie  commences  hy  say- 
ing that  he  will  hold  every  memher  of  the  Committee  personally 
responsihle  to  him;  and,  after  gentlemen  have  assured  him  that 
they  arc  perfectly  willing  to  take  all  the  responsibility,  and 
after  a  portion  of  the  testimony  has  hcen  pointed  out,  impli- 
cating him,  he  winds  up  with  a  prayer  and  supplication  to  this 
Board  to  send  hack  this  report  to  the  Committee,  the  mem- 
bers of  which  have  already  spent  hours  and  days  in  taking 
the  testimony,  and  in  weighing  that  testimony,  before  coming 
to  any  conclusion  in  relation  to  it.  Xow,  I  state,  in  addition 
to  what  has  been  said  by  the  Chairman,  that  after  all  the  evi- 
dence on  the  part  of  the  Board  of  Education  was  taken,  after 
the  Counsel  for  those  School  Officers  was  heard,  I,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  that  Committee,  for  the  purpose  of  avoiding  the  diffi- 
culty which  is  now  sought  to  be  placed  in  the  way  of  the 
adoption  of  this  report,  suggested  to  the  Chairman,  that  a 
request  should  be  made  that  any  School  Officer,  who  was  not 
represented  by  Counsel  before  the  Committee,  should  be  in- 
vited, if  he  saw  fit,  to  make  such  explanation  as  he  pleased,  to 
offer  himself  as  a  witness  to  disprove  any  allegation  that  has 
been  proved  against  him.  But  a  single  officer  availed  himself 
of  it.  Mr.  Murphy  did  not.  In  addition  to  that,  those  School 
Officers,  by  their  Counsel,  called  witnesses,  and  out  of  the 
mouth  of  their  witnesses,  and  by  the  "testimony  submitted  by 
themselves,  and  in  their  justification,  came  the  sharpest  evi- 
dence and  the  weightiest  evidence  before  that  Committee.  I 
allude  first  to  Mr.  O'Donnell,  who  was  called  by  them.  Mr. 
O'Donnell's  testimony,  beyond  all  peradventure,  removes  every 


17 


question  of  doubt  as  to  the  guilt  of  those  six  men  implicated 
in  the  frauds.  iSTot  satisfied  with  that,  they  called  the  Chair- 
man of  their  own  Board,  and,  after  hard  work,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  tell  a  story  which  is  damaging  against  every  mem- 
ber of  this  ring.  He  swore  that  Felix  Murphy  said  that  if 
certain  persons  were  out  of  the  Board,  §5,000  to  §6,000  could 
be  made  out  of  the  teachers  and  the  erection  of  the  new 
school ;  this  was  before  the  organization  of  the  Board.  That 
is  their  own  witness.  In  addition  to  that,  a  web  was  woven 
of  testimony  from  which  this  gentleman,  with  all  his  ingenui- 
ty, and  the  ingenuity  of  Counsel  who  appeared  before  that 
Board,  (and  he  had  ingenuity  in  matters  of  this  sort,  for  he 
was  familiar  with  it,)  was  unable  to  exculpate  himself.  To 
give  a  short  statement  of  the  results  arrived  at  by  this  Com- 
mittee, after  taking  all  this  testimony,  not  a  member  of  this 
Committee  expressed  himself  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of 
any  person  charged  or  implicated  before  them.  After  all  the 
evidence  was  in,  we  appointed  another  session  of  the  Com- 
mittee ;  we  met  at  1  o'clock,  and  sat  until  5J,  and  heard  every 
word  read  over,  and  every  man's  case  was  canvassed  separate- 
ly and  voted  upon  separately,  and  there  was  not  a  single 
breath  of  disagreement  among  this  Committee,  or  from  any 
member  of  it.  The  evidence  showed  that  they  occupied  some 
time  in  endeavoring  to  organize  this  ring,  and  that  those  very 
gentlemen  called  upon  and  wrote  to  Mr.  O'Donnell,  and  used 
all  the  means  they  could  to  get  him  to  join  them;  that  they 
had  an  agent  who  called  upon  the  teachers  and  their  friends. 
A  doctor  was  called  upon  no  less  than  twice  in  regard  to  a 
situation  for  his  daughter.  A  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  was  called 
upon  in  regard  to  a  young  lady  whose  father  had  recently 
died,  and  for  whom  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  appealed  to  him  to  reduce 
the  sum,  as  she  could  not  pay  it ;  and  the  result  was,  that  she 
was  not  appointed.  And  this  honest,  honorable,  immaculate 
John  White  is  appointed  Principal  of  the  new  school;  and 
who  is  he  appointed  by?  By  Felix  Murphy.  By  a  ring  of 
six — -just  enough  to  appoint  him.  On  that  very  evening  §100 
was  paid  by  Mr.  Gibbons,  and  §150  by  another  individual ; 
and  after  that  payment,  Mr.  Gibbons  goes  back  again,  and  in- 
quires of  Mr.  White  if  he  has  his  money.  Mr.  White  says 
he  has  not,  but  will  give  security  for  it,  and  he  does.  This 


18 

business  was  going  on  for  a  length  of  time it  was  talked  of 
in  the  school ;  every  teacher  came  in  fear  and  trembling  in 
the  morning.  The  whole  talk  was,  Have  you  been  taxed? 
How  much  have  you  been  assessed  ?  All  knew  who  the  man 
was  who  was  taxing  them,  and  yet  this  immaculate  body  of 
men  appoint  this  infernal  scoundrel  keeper  of  their  minutes, 
and  Secretary  of  their  Board.  Does  the  gentleman  want  any- 
thing more  ?    If  so,  I  can  give  it. 

Commissioner  Bogert.  I  move  that  this  report  be  accepted, 
and  the  resolutions  adopted. 

The  motion  was  carried  unanimously,  34  to  0,  and  the  Board 
adjourned. 


We  have  intimated  that  the  wrongs  detected  and  exposed  in 
the  Fourth  Ward  are  declared  to  exist  in  other  Wards  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent.  There  are  teachers  and  others  who 
could  reveal  important  facts  on  this  subject,  and  to  afford 
facilities  for  so  doing,  The  Citizens'  Association  have  opened 
a  Complaint-Book  at  their  rooms,  !N"o.  813  Broadway,  where 
any  individual  having  knowledge  of  abuses  or  frauds,  or  wrong- 
doing in  any  of  the  Ward  School  Boards,  may  enter  information, 
without  fear  or  misgiving.  IS~o  friendless  teacher  need  be  afraid 
to  speak  through  the  Complaint-Book;  the  Citizens'  Associa- 
tion will  see  to  it  that  none  shall  suffer  oppression  on  account 
of  their  exposure  of  abuses.  It  is  a  sacred  duty  to  endeavor 
to  purify  our  Common  Schools,  and  raise  them  above  all  those 
evil  influences  which  late  years  have  introduced.  Any  infor- 
mation placed  on  the  Book  will  be  carefully  investigated,  and 
promptly  followed  up  by  proper  action. 


izx  SltbrtB 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
"£ver'thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book.'' 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


